BNI raid: We're under siege from NDC – Blay

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is under siege from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), which is using the national security apparatus to harass opposition members, acting chairman of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition Mr. Freddy Blay has said.

Mr. Blay's apprehension comes a day after officers from the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) ransacked the premises of policy think tank Danquah Institute (DI), as well as the invasion of the residence of his party's flagbearer's head of security, Capt. Koda, by police officers on Thursday, March 24.

"Individual members of the party that I have spoken to are actually disturbed. …We are not happy by the development…we are definitely under siege, the NDC, backed by the national security apparatus are harassing our membership and officers for no good reason. We are extremely apprehensive of what their intentions are," Mr. Blay said Friday, March 25 in an interview with Joy FM.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of the NPP Perry Okudzeto has told Class News' Emefa Apawu that: "Our suspicion is that all these are gagging orders from government officials using rogue security people to try and intimidate the opposition party."

"It all falls in [line] with what has begun from Monday trying to tag people as mercenaries.

"Clearly, there is something going [on], there is a certain desperate action and manoeuvring from government using security agencies to try and achieve what I cannot fathom," Mr. Okudzeto said.

The BNI and police invasion of DI's office and Capt. Koda's residence followed the recent of three South African ex-police officers in Ghana for being involved in "activities that threaten the nation's security."

The three men, Chris Hazis, 54, also known as Major Ahmed Shaik (rtd), WO/Denver Dwayhe Naidu (rtd), 39, and Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (rtd), 45, were picked up at the El Capitano Hotel at Agona Duakwa in the Central region.

They were said to be training some young people in various security drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques, and rapid response manoeuvres. They have been charged with false declaration and unlawful training. They were put before court on Thursday, March 24. They pleaded guilty and were each granted a GHS20000 bail with sureties. The BNI is still holding them despite the bail, a situation that has angered their lawyers.

The NPP has insisted that the three were neither "mercenaries" nor "terrorists" as being alleged by some officials of the NDC, but were experts who were only training bodyguards to control crowds around opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during campaigning, ahead of the November polls.